Sideways Sammy

After earning an impressive point at the weekend against the unofficial league leaders, Sheffield United, Coventry City round off this run of difficult fixtures with a midweek trip to a miserly Burnley outfit. In what could well be the last game under the interim leadership of Rhys Carr, a win here would buy the new potential boss valuable time to ease into the job.

The opposition are a Burnley side that are allergic to goals at both ends of the pitch, having conceded just six goals in 16 games this season but are middling in attack. In what is likely to be a close game, the Sky Blues should have the chance to claim a result here, provided they can maintain concentration levels.

Expected Line-Up

The key decision for Rhys Carr ahead of this game is whether to stick with the back three that saw the team start so well against Sheffield United with or move to the back four which allowed Coventry City to get on the front-foot during the latter stages of the game. With this being a tough away trip, the sensible decision would be to stick with the shape that provides the team the greater number of defensive and midfield bodies.

If that is the case, than it’s hard to see anything other than an unchanged starting XI being named, however, fitness levels are the key caveat. Norman Bassette is probably the chief candidate for rotation, after running himself into the ground during the first hour against Sheffield United. However, that may rest on Ellis Simms’ fitness levels, given that the alternative, Brandon Thomas-Asante, probably isn’t suited to playing as a lone striker away from home.

Finding a role in the starting XI for Tatsuhiro Sakamoto may well be another consideration ahead of this game. The Japanese winger may not have a natural role in a 3-4-2-1 system, but his ability to run with the ball in a tough away game could be important enough to consider ways to shoehorn him into the team. Playing as the attacking midfielder on the right, with licence to float wide and help create overloads to get Milan van Ewijk up the pitch, seems the best fit. Just who would then drop out, out of Victor Torp or Jack Rudoni, is a tough call to make.

Finally, with Jay Dasilva limping off towards the end of the Sheffield United game, there’s a question mark as to whether he will be involved here. That could see Jake Bidwell return to the starting line-up, with one of Jack Rudoni or Tatsuhiro Sakamoto possibilities if it’s felt that Bidwell is also short of fitness having only recently returned from injury.

Last Time We Met

A Coventry City that had been out of form after the 2022 World Cup travelled to eventual Championship winners, Burnley, in January 2023, looking to kick-start their season. With an experimental line-up that featured Fankaty Dabo at centre-back, the Sky Blues really should have taken at least something out of the game.

Jamie Allen couldn’t quite take a couple decent chances in the first-half while Viktor Gyokeres was unable to sort his feet out after rounding the goalkeeper in the second against a laboured Burnley side that were there for the taking. The Clarets belatedly got into gear in the latter stages of the game, with Jordan ‘call me Jordan‘ Beyer heading in a corner-kick in the final minutes to see Coventry City leave Burnley with only compliments to show for their efforts.

The Opposition

The Manager – Scott Parker

Having re-built the club’s entire identity around Vincent Kompany and his attractive passing football, the appointment of Scott Parker as the Belgian’s replacement over the summer signalled that Burnley have become concerned more with results than aesthetics. Through spells at Fulham and Bournemouth, Parker has made himself a Championship promotion-specialist but comes with a guarantee of keeping excitement to an absolute minimum.

Ten of Burnley’s 16 league games this season have ended 0-0 or 1-0 to either side, underling how lacking in entertainment life has been under Scott Parker. The best defence in the league in terms of goals conceded, they rank as a mid-table side for goals scored and a bottom three side for Expected Goals created. It underlines just how focused Scott Parker is on keeping goals out, regularly picking starting line-ups with as many as six out-and-out defenders in the XI.

Who To Look Out For?

The most impressive area of this Burnley side is their defensive organisation, over any individual star players. If there is a stand-out among the Clarets’ ranks, it is probably the French centre-back, Maxime Esteve, who looks a cut or two above Championship football and mixes composure with the physicality to impose himself in English football. He has generally been partnered by one-time Coventry City target, CJ Egan-Riley, who offers pace to help the team play a high defensive line which is swept up by James Trafford in goal.

Along with Connor Roberts at right-back, the midfield pairing of Josh Brownhill and Josh Cullen are the key experienced operators in this Burnley side that have made them so solid so consistently this year. With Cullen able to sit back and keep possession ticking over, Brownhill is free to push forward and contribute goals. If not for Brownhill’s finishing ability, Burnley would be nowhere near the automatic promotion places.

Further forward, almost all of Burnley’s attacking threat comes from the wide duo of Jaidon Anthony and Luca Koleosho. The latter is someone who came almost out of nowhere – Espanyol’s B team – to catch the eye in the Premier League last season with his mazy dribbling ability, had Koleosho not got injured in December, Burnley may just have stayed up. Anthony, meanwhile, worked with Scott Parker at Bournemouth and is a more languid wide player who loves to cut inside and shoot.

Up top, the vastly experienced Jay Rodriguez is currently leading the line despite his increasing lack of mobility, another of Scott Parker’s trusted lieutenants at Turf Moor. If Burnley need a goal in this game, they may turn to Andreas Hountondji, who came through at Caen around the same time as Norman Bassette, a giant centre-forward who is being eased into Championship football.

Where The Game Will Be Won Or Lost

There is no reason for Coventry City to feel that they won’t have a chance in this game, but if they continue this streak of losing concentration early on and falling behind, Burnley are unlikely to present them with the opportunity of salvaging anything from this. It’s not just about staying switched on defence, which remains an issue, but having that killer instinct further forward, which was missing even during that impressive start against Sheffield United.

As for specific concerns, keeping Luca Koleosho and Jaidon Anthony quiet will go a long way towards keeping Burnley out here. If Coventry City go with a back three, that space between the wing-backs and wide centre-backs will have to be closely monitored to avoid the duo creating confusion at the back for the Sky Blues. Concerns over either Jake Bidwell or Jay Dasilva at left-back probably make it especially unwise to go with a back four here.

Going forward, Burnley will do everything to try and slow down Coventry City’s attacking play, something the Sky Blues often need little invitation in order to do so themselves. Trying to whoever plays at centre-forward into the game quickly with early balls in behind could prevent Coventry becoming slow and stodgy in possession, as will the midfielders making runs into the box to prevent the striker getting outnumbered by Burnley’s defensive ranks.